QUIZ: Only two players who finished in the top 10 in batting average in 1990 repeated that feat last season, one in each league. Name them (answer below). *

The Blue Jays continue to talk with David Wells about a contract extension for two years with an option at about $15 million. But they also continue to speak with teams about the lefty, with the Mets, Yankees, Indians and Rangers the most constant monitors.

Toronto wants to give its disappointing season another month to determine if it can get back into the wild-card hunt. If not, the Jays would be much more open to moving Wells, who has used his last three starts to make himself attractive again (2-0, 2.66 ERA). That and his reputation as a post-season stalwart should make potential suitors look the other way despite his complaints about arm problems, dramatic weight gain and fickle behavior that has him uncomfortable with manager Jim Fregosi and having belittled Roger Clemens in a Playboy interview.

For Wells, the Jays supposedly asked for Bartolo Colon, Richie Sexson and Enrique Wilson from Cleveland, which said no. But take Colon out and put Paul Shuey or Steve Karsay in and who knows. *

Word has been floating around baseball that central to the Mets firing pitching coach Bob Apodaca so suddenly was that upper management, particularly Fred Wilpon, did not want to lose Dave Wallace and Toronto was close to hiring Wallace away. So as a pre-emptive strike GM Steve Phillips replaced Wallace, who is very close with Sandy Koufax, who went to high school with Wilpon. Phillips would not comment if any clubs asked permission to talk to Wallace, but Phillips said that he was under no pressure from upper management to make a change. Blue Jays assistant GM Dave Stewart said ”there is no truth to that” when asked if the club was pursuing Wallace to replace its pitching coach, Mel Queen.

But this is an example of how the fractured state of the Met front office creates conspiracy theories about every move. *

Phillips said his decision to announce the firing of the three coaches on the Saturday of the Subway Series actually owes a lot to what he learned from Dave Checketts’ handling of the Phil Jackson matter. A story appeared in a paper that Saturday that Apodaca might be fired. Realizing he would be asked by the coaches and the media about it, Phillips said he moved his timetable up for the dismissals from Monday to Saturday; this way he did not have to mislead the coaches or the media. Phillips said Checketts’ public embarrassment after having to admit he lied to Jeff Van Gundy and the media about meeting Jackson regarding the head-coaching job helped sway how Phillips would handle this matter. *

The A’s have been thrilled with Tim Hudson (1-0, 19 strikeouts in 12 innings) in his first two starts. But they plan patience with their next two pitching prospects. Chad Harville, a 5-foot-9 power-throwing reliever often compared to Cincinnati’s Scott Williamson, and lefty starter Mark Mulder are both scheduled to pitch for the U.S. in the Pan-Am Games and the A’s are leaning toward letting the duo do that, though they are surprisingly in the playoff hunt.

With Tom Gordon (elbow) on the DL and possibly out for the season, Boston has talked to San Diego about hard-throwing set-up man Dan Miceli. *

Two struggling starters, Seattle’s Jeff Fassero and Los Angeles’ Darren Dreifort, were bounced from their respective rotations into the bullpen this week. We are going to learn a lot about Fox’s baseball management should the Dodgers stay the NL’s most disappointing team. Will Fox stay the course or look to dump salary? Dreifort and Ismael Valdes could suddenly become available from the rotation, and the Yanks made a higher offer to set-up man Alan Mills before he signed last offseason with the Dodgers, so the Yanks would be interested if L.A. decided to begin breaking up.

The AL’s most disappointing team, Baltimore, has played much better of late. But if the Orioles are not firmly in the race in a month they may consider dealing valuable lefty set- up man Arthur Rhodes, who is coming up on free agency, or failed closer Mike Timlin.

Aside from Damion Easley and Dean Palmer, the Tigers have made just about everyone available, including Tony Clark, Juan Encarnacion and Bobby Higginson. Word was they talked to Seattle about Alex Rodriguez (Clark, Deivi Cruz and Justin Thompson) and Toronto about Carlos Delgado, and were rejected on both fronts.

It’s 10 p.m., can you wait to see what Bobby Valentine wears for Halloween? *

QUIZ ANSWER: Tony Gwynn finished eighth in the NL in 1990 and ninth last season. Edgar Martinez finished sixth in the AL in 1990 and seventh last season.